be content.

are you satisfied with your life and role in life?  do you find yourself wanting more? 

remember a couple of posts ago we looked at being a "virtuous" wife according to proverbs 31:10.  virtuous, when looked at in the greek translation means "able and content."  we have already looked at being able, so this week it's all about being CONTENT!

This is a tough one because society has programmed us to always want MORE.  more money, more kids, more time, more help around the house, more peace, more free time.....I'm sure we all have our "more" needs.  But just for today, let's consider the possibility of being content with things just the way they are.    The dictionary definition of content is "a state of satisfaction."  It doesn't say that content means you have everything you've always wanted, that you're not doing without, that you're perfectly and blissfully happy....it just says SATISFIED. 

God has given you this life.  Enjoy what you have.  Find that peace through being SATISFIED with where you're at, who's with you, and what you're doing.  Yes, you can still want more....but be satisfied with things as they are at this moment. 

Here are some areas to think about.  See if you can find some satisfaction in any of these areas in YOUR life.

1) Your Kids.   Find a place of satisfaction with what God has given you.   If you don't have any kids, but want them....God has a plan.  If you have some kids, but want more....God has a plan.   If you have all the kids you can handle, and are just trying to keep your sanity....God has a plan.   It's hard to remember this, but HE truly does know what He's doing! God can bless you with more children if that is HIS will for your life.....and He doesn't need you worrying and reading fertility books and eating crazy foods and vitamins each day to GET pregnant.  HE can do it.   And if you already have all the kids you think you want, be satisified with your situation.  Raising kids is hard.  It's a ton of work that never ends.  And sometimes we grow weary and tired and exhausted, but GOD can give you the strength and perseverance to continue shaping them into the men and women they will become.  Just seek GOD and you will find the contentment and satisfaction with your current situation.

2) Your husband.    If you have a husband, thank God for him everyday.   Focus on his positive qualities.  Relish in the things he DOES do for you.  Don't allow negativity in when thinking of your husband.  It seems that so often in today's world, women are quick to judge and condemn their husbands for not being what the women "want" them to be.    That's not fair to your husband.  God made that man and GOD is the only one who can change him if some things need to be changed.  And it's not up to YOU to decide what your husband can/should/could be doing better or differently!  I feel so strongly about this one because I see so many men being emasculated by their wives.  We as wives are not MOTHERS to these men.  When you emasculate your husband, you are making him weaker, making him lose his vigor.  Give that man a PURPOSE!  Let him be himself and stop trying to control and change him.  Let GOD do the work while you love your husband and pray for him and show him a Christ-like example through your service to him.  {I better stop there because I feel an entire blog post coming up on this topic!}  Basically, find peace.  Find a place of satisfaction with your husband.  And this contentment usually starts with YOU -- when you stop trying to control or change him, but just decide to serve him with love each day, then you will feel more content in that relationship.  Try it.  Then let me know how it feels.  It's really quite liberating on your OWN life.

3) Your home.  Be satisfied with your home.  The narrow closets, dead tree out front, cramped living room, and stovetop with one burner out.  These things can cause us some frustration.  They can make us feel like moving or neglecting our household chores because we are so focused on the "problems" we see.  But listen, think about where you'd be if you didn't have that house.  There are millions of people who sleep WITHOUT a roof over their heads in this world.  And there are millions of people who have it much worse than you do.  I'm assuming if you're reading this that you have internet access, some sort of media device, and enough money to pay for those services/devices.  So you've got it pretty good, babe.    God can bring you a bigger house, a newer house, a house in a different location, or just a house with bigger closets.  But let GOD bring it to you.  For now, find the peace and be content with the house He has already blessed you with!   Take care of what you have, tend to it, make it WORK.  Then God will see that you are taking good care of what He's given you and He will open up doors for the things you wish for.

4) Your money.  God wants your prosperous.  Somebody's got to be rich in this world....it might as well be the children of GOD!  Claim it.  I'm claiming my share!   If money is an issue in your world and you are not content with your situation, take a look at where it's going.  Stop wasteful spending.  Lattes for $5 a day?  Purses that cost you $200-$500?  Shoes costing hundreds of dollars?  Clothes?  Eating out several times a week for hundreds of dollars a month?  These things are NOT necessary for a happy life.  What can YOU give up?  Pick one and do it!   What about subscriptions?  Cancel them!  Sirius radio, while nice, is not a necessity.  You have radio for FREE in your car already.  Magazines?  You can check those out at the public library for free a month after they come out!   Cable?  Do you REALLY need 300 plus channels?  Maybe you can just reduce your cable bill by reducing your subscription, or cancel it altogether.   And what about cell phones?  They are outrageously expensive.  I love having a cell phone....it gives me a sense of security when travelling and being able to reach my husband anytime if I need him.  But my kids don't have cell phones.  (okay, they are only 18 months, 5 years, and 7 years old...but I know 7 year olds with cell phones!)   If money is tight, cancel that phone that you bought your kids!   My husband and I believe that a cell phone isn't necessary for a kid until they are driving age.  And by that point, my boys can get their own jobs and make enough money to PAY for that phone themselves.   Now if your kids have their own phones, you are probably offended and mad at me right now.  Don't be mad.  This is how WE do things.  I'm not saying everyone has to be like us.  But I AM saying if money is tight, ditch the phones.  They are NOT a necessity...no matter what you've convinced yourself so far. 

Ultimately, the one way you can find peace, satisfaction, and contentment in all these areas is to bring it all to God.  Do you tithe?   God blesses the tither.   When you are not giving 10% of your income to your local church, then you are basically telling God that your car (how much is that payment per month again??),  your new purse, your new shoes, or your kids' cell phones are all more important than Him.  Ouch.  I know that hurts.  We were there once ourselves.  It seemed there was no "room" in our budget to "give to God."  But this isn't just about giving.  It's about sowing seed.  And through you sowing seed into God's kingdom, you will reap.  You WILL be blessed.  Trust me.  When we started out, we put $20 a week into the church's offering plate.   That's literally ALL we could afford.  And that wasn't anywhere NEAR 10% of our income.   But we were faithful.  And consistent.  And pretty soon we were blessed.....maybe a large amount of money came in and we were able to pay off a loan.  Or we got raises or bonuses.   All these little things started happening that HELPED us.  We were able to give more and more to our church.  And eventually we got to the point where we WERE giving 10%.  And now we are able to give even MORE than 10%.  And God has blessed us richly.   He continues to provide for us.  He continues to give us that peace, that satisfaction, that feeling of being CONTENT with where we're at, who we're with, and what we're doing.  And NOTHING can replace that feeling of peace.  Not a single $300 purse or $200 pair of shoes, not a meal at Wendy's or a meal at a fancy restaurant.  NOTHING can replace the CONTENTMENT we feel from God because we are faithful to His word. 

Talk to God today.  Find time when you're alone (in the car, in the shower, in bed at night) and just ask God what to do.  He will talk to you.  You will have ideas and thoughts put into your mind that you KNOW came from Him.  Listen to what He says and follow His directions.  And watch His immeasurable peace and satisfaction come over your thoughts and your life.   And remember.....just be content.